Missouri Agricultural Stewardship Award now accepting applications

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Farmers Care is accepting applications for the 2027 Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award. The annual award recognizes Missouri farm families who demonstrate excellence in the careful and responsible management of land, natural resources, and livestock. 

Ideal applicants or nominees exemplify innovation, stewardship, and sound decision-making on working farms and ranches. Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2026. Applications and submission details are available at mofarmerscare.com/agstewardshipaward.

“Missouri farmers manage natural resources with a long-term view of leaving them in better condition for the generations that follow in their footsteps,” said Ashley McCarty, executive director of Missouri Farmers Care. “With 93 percent of Missouri land privately owned and 27 million acres managed as farms and ranches, this award recognizes excellence in production stewardship and encourages continued innovation across Missouri agriculture.”

Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition of Missouri’s agricultural organizations, commodity groups, and agribusinesses, and partners highlight farmers and ranchers who exemplify land stewardship, leadership, and communication. The Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award is presented in partnership with the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and organizations across Missouri agriculture.

“Across Missouri’s farms, thoughtful decisions are being made every day to care for the land and prepare it for the next generation,” said Patrick Seyer, chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and a corn grower from Oran, Mo. “The Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award highlights those efforts, and we encourage farm families who are committed to stewardship and innovation to apply and share their story.”

The 2027 Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award will be presented this winter at agricultural and natural resource conferences. The award recipient will be invited to participate in panels, present at conferences, and host on-farm tours showcasing successful conservation and stewardship practices and will receive a $5,000 honorarium.

“Missouri soybean farmers take pride in caring for the land and resources entrusted to them,” said Mark Lehenbauer, chair of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. “Stewardship is not a new concept for our farmers. It is a responsibility passed down through generations and strengthened through innovation and sound management. The Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award recognizes producers who lead by example and demonstrate that conservation and productivity go hand in hand.”

Paulsmeyer Farms of Chamois was honored as the 2026 Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award recipient. Located in the Missouri River bottoms of Osage County, the farm reflects a generational legacy of stewardship, innovation, and family commitment. While the operation has evolved over time, the family’s focus remains the same: leaving the land better for future generations and creating opportunities for the next generation to return to the farm.

“The 2026 Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award recognizes the hard work and dedication of our family through the generations,” said Grayson Gerloff, who plans to be an eighth-generation farmer with his family on Paulsmeyer Farms.